1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to latching devices and, more specifically, to a pair of latch plates that fit on the gates of an area that encloses animals. The latch plates are engaged and disengaged by a person by hand with the optional use of a wrench. Furthermore, the pair of latch plates may or may not be permanently installed. Still further, the latch plates cannot be opened by either the force or cleverness of an enclosed animal.
2. Background and Related Art
There are many ways to latch a livestock gate, but often the latches are either too expensive to add to every gate or are weak and prone to failure when pushed by livestock. In the past, latches often were affixed to the latching post. Applicant's gate latch apparatus affixes to the gate itself.
Many livestock gates are sold with a simple change and clip latching device. The clip is a simple solution to keep the gate shut, but is weak and prone to failure when large animals push against it. The clip can be easily bent or broken. The chain, which is designed to be stapled to a post often pulls out; thus opening the gate and allowing livestock to escape.
In terms of human interaction, a typical prior art clip mechanism requires two hands to open it as it clips back on itself with a chain. Once the clip has been through a season of rain or snow; it may become stiff, making it difficult to open at all, since it tends to freeze in position.
Stock gates are used to assist in livestock control, not only in paddock areas, but also to keep livestock out of agricultural growing fields, thus protecting animals and crops. In this invention, “livestock” will mean typical and exotic farm animals. Typical farm animals include cows, horses, sheep, goats, pigs and the like. In this invention, exotic animals include llamas, alpacas, deer, ostriches and the like. Livestock gates, on their own, provide protection from escape by livestock through the use of horizontal bars or wire-filled panels; however, this is a moot point if the gate latch fails or if the gate latch is opened by the mouth of a nimble animal.
Ease of gate operation is an important consideration in the field of latching and unlatching farm gates. Farmers and ranchers often have one hand already in use when passing through these gates (e.g., holding the reins of a horse they are riding, holding the steering wheel of an ATV; leading an animal, etc.). Being able to open a gate from either side with ease, and with one hand of the farmer or rancher, is a distinct advantage of the present invention in terms of the farmers' or ranchers' time and safety.
Another use for the gate latch apparatus of this invention is for free-standing fence panels where conventional latching devices do not work because of uneven terrain. Free standing fence panels are collapsible and are not permanently mounted, but are instead installed temporarily. Livestock pens and confinement stalls are well known in the farm and ranch industry.
Portable and temporary stalls are used to work with cattle, sheep, horses, and other domesticated animals. This type of device is often used in temporary situations to vaccinate animals or to separate certain ones from a group for a special purpose such as cleaning, worming, or birthing.
The gate latch apparatus of the instant invention is useful for confining animals in free-standing fence configurations to keep livestock safely and securely contained therein while they are used in the special confinement situations described above.
Finally, many of the strong latches on the market today require the latching post to be a certain distance from the gate end in order to be fastened properly. As new gates are often replacements for damaged gates, there can be quite a variation in where the latching posts sit and sinking a new post at the perfect distance is often problematic.
Prior patents relating to latching farm gates include U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,975 to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,953 to Papocki et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,438 to DeSouza, U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,612 to Schaeffer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,613 to Boroviak, U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,068 to Hughes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,446 to Rossmo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,292 to Van Wiebe et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,370 to Dunn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,684 to De La Garza, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,840 to Winter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,231 to Bergman et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,203 to Rogers, U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,105 to Norton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,829 to Gregory, U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,611 to Robins, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,431 to Oliver et al.
None of these prior patents use a simple yet strong, steel design that is the design of the instant invention. The instant invention can be latched in two different directions on any bar of a farm gate. The gate latching device of the present invention is simple to attach, requiring only two bolts and does not require the latching post to be at a specific distance from the end of the gate. It is stronger than the clip latches now being sold for this purpose, is versatile in positioning and offers a double latching mechanism for animals that are prone to opening gates with their mouths.
Prior attempts at meeting the needs of a successful farm gate latch may have one or two characteristics of the gate latch apparatus of the instant invention, but not all of them as presented herein.
Patents concerned with free-standing fence panels include U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,333 to Fisher, U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,876 to Harris, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,584 to Wieser. U.S. Pat. No. 7,121,529 to Priefert, U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,194 to Young, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,548 to Atkins et al. All of these patents are concerned with methods for locking fence panels together.
None of these prior patents use a removable latch that can be affixed on any bar of a fence panel and use a method to secure the panels together with a chain secured by the gate latch of the present invention. The gate latching device of the present invention is simple to attach, requiring only two bolts for said attachment, and does not require the fence panels to be lined up exactly with each other to be fastened together by the gate latch of the present invention. Other solutions may have one or two characteristics of the gate latch apparatus of the instant invention, but not all of them.